Ecuador will stop its visa-free entry policy for Chinese citizens starting from July 1. This decision is related to cracking down on Chinese citizens using the South American country as a transit point to reach the United States and seek asylum.
Ecuador announced on Tuesday (June 18) the suspension of an agreement with Beijing that allowed Chinese citizens to enter the country without a visa, citing a “concerning” increase in illegal immigration numbers.
In 2023, Ecuador became an important transit point for tens of thousands of Chinese citizens intending to travel to the US-Mexico border. Many eventually crossed the border into California.
Many Chinese immigrants travel from Ecuador to locations in Tijuana and Lower California, a journey of over 3,000 miles that involves crossing jungles, deserts, and cities to enter the United States’ San Diego County. Most Chinese immigrants surrender themselves to the US Border Patrol and apply for asylum.
In statements released in two languages on Tuesday by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, it was stated that the flow of immigrants from China had increased significantly, with these Chinese citizens using Ecuador as a starting point to travel to other destinations in the Western Hemisphere.
The Biden administration has been attempting to counter the Republican claims of a border crisis by pressuring Mexico and other transit countries to combat asylum seekers from around the world seeking to enter the United States.
According to US government statistics, the number of undocumented Chinese immigrants illegally entering San Diego County from Mexico has sharply increased in recent years, making it the primary transit point for almost all Chinese citizens seeking asylum.
During the 2024 fiscal year, which spans from October 1, 2023, to April 2024, the San Diego US Border Patrol arrested 27,135 Chinese citizens. This number is more than double the total detained in the entire 2023 fiscal year (15,220) and nearly 30 times the figure for the 2022 fiscal year (947).
US officials have stated that most Chinese asylum seekers detained at the Southwest border have been released and are awaiting future court dates in the US immigration system.
The Ecuadorian government’s statement mentioned that the suspension of visa exemptions for Chinese citizens is “temporary,” but no specific date was given for when this policy might be reinstated.
The statement also highlighted that around 50% of Chinese citizens entering Ecuador did not leave the country “through normal channels” and failed to depart the country within the 90-day period allowed by the visa exemption agreement.
Ecuador is one of the only two continental American countries, along with Suriname, that provide visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. The Nestling Center, a think tank based in Washington, cited official data from the Ecuadorian government indicating that in 2023, 48,381 Chinese citizens entered Ecuador, but only 24,240 departed. Nestling Center stated that the difference of 24,141 is the largest among all nationalities.
When asked about Ecuador’s cancellation of the visa-free entry policy for Chinese citizens, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson did not directly confirm or deny it but mentioned that China is cooperating with multiple countries to curb illegal immigration.